Wingenroth leads All-CIF honorees

Hart senior running back Connor Wingenroth was voted the CIF-Southern Section Northern Division Offensive Player of the Year.

Led by Offensive Player of the Year honors for Hart senior running back Connor Wingenroth and Coach of the Year honors for Indians head coach Mike Herrington, the Santa Clarita Valley represented itself well with the release of the 2013-14 All-CIF Southern Section Northern Division football selections on Monday.

“It’s a huge honor, being the Offensive Player of the Year for our entire division, knowing the other good players that were out there,” said Wingenroth, who captured his award after rushing for 1,698 yards and 21 touchdowns and leading Hart to a CIF-SS Northern Division championship in 2013.

The all-purpose star will make an official visit to Colgate University in upstate New York later this week.

“I think it put me up there with other Hart greats, hopefully,” Wingenroth said. “Maybe I’ll be one of the names kids are talking about in a few years.”

Fellow Indians Blake Porter, Davis Koppenhaver and Trent Irwin were recognized as All-CIF first team selections on offense, while seniors Garrett Updegraft, Wes Fitzpatrick and David Russon rounded things out for Hart as All-CIF first team defense selections.

The honors didn’t stop there, either.

Canyon senior quarterback Cade Apsay was given the nod as the first-team offense’s signal caller, this after being voted by coaches as the Foothill League Player of the Year.

Junior Liam Cabrera was the only other Canyon Cowboy to receive All-Nothern Division honors, as the defensive back rounded out a talented first team defense.

Valencia playmakers Nick Jones and Jay Jay Wilson rounded out Santa Clarita’s influence on the first team offensive unit, while senior defensive lineman Jourdan Nguyen and senior punter Cole Murphy were the Vikings’ selections to the Northern Division’s first-team defense.

Rounding out the Northern Division All-CIF honors was Saugus senior linebacker Blake Austin, who led his team in tackles en route to a CIF semifinal.

In addition to the larger schools, the Trinity Classical Academy had its impact recognized by the CIF as well.

Knights senior Spencer Klehn won the CIF 8-man Division II Player of the Year award while former Trinity head coach Mike Buchananan captured Coach of the Year and senior linebacker Patch Kulp captured Defensive Player of the Year.

Klehn was the team’s go-to option on offense, and was joined by fellow first-teamers Eli Skorich and Nick Spinello as All-CIF offensive performers.

On defense, Kulp led the way with his imposing style of play and is now being rewarded for it.

Outside of Kulp’s achievements, Knights junior Ryan Brooks is the lone Trinity player to receive all defensive first team nods.